Melting apparatus



Jan. 19, 1965 J. DUNN ETAL 3,166,066

MELTING APPARATUS Filed July 26. 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 A TTOP/VEY Jan. 19, 1965 J. DU N ETAL 3,166,066

MELTING APPARATUS Filed July 26. 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 //Vl/E/V7'0RS JbH/V Du/v/v ROBERT ko TA A T TOR/V6? Jan. 19, 1965 J. DUNN ETAL 3,166,066

MELTING APPARATUS Filed July 26. 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan. 19, 1965 J. DUNN EI'AIL 5 MELTINQAPPKRATUS Filed July 26, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS 70HA/ DUN/V E085???" KOP/TA ATTORNEY 3,166,066 MEL'I'HQG APFARA'IUS John Dunn, Tenatiy, and Robert Kopita, Fanwood, Ni, assignors to Peahody Engineering (Iorporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Italy 26, 1% Ser. No. 126,977 12 filiaims. (U. 126343.5)

This invention relates to a melting apparatus and more particularly to a snow-melting apparatus wherein snow is melted by direct contact with hot water derived from p a fuel fed heater.

An object is to provide an apparatus of the abovetype which is adapted to commercial use for'cle aning city streets or other areas.

type having high thermal efliciency.

Another object is to provide a snow melting apparatus having novel and improved details of construction and features of operation. g I

Various other objects and advantages will be apparent as the nature of the invention is more fully disclosed. f The nature of the invention will be better understood from the following description, taken inconnection with the accompanying. drawings in which-a specific embodiment has been set forth for purposes of illustration. r In the drawings: FIG. 1 is a vertical section through a snow melting apparatus embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is avertical section taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line of FIG; 1; I 7 FIG. 4 is a partial vertical section similar toFIG. 2

illustrating a further embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a vertical section similar to FIG. 1 illustrat- 7 ing a further embodimentof the invention.

Referring to the drawings more in detail the invention is shown as embodied in an apparatus having a snow melting section 1-, a primary water heater section 2 including a burner and a Water jacket, a gas-liquid contact section 3 for extracting at high efliciency a further heat from the exhaust gases, and a hot water. receiver 4 from which hot water is fed through the melting pipes and is sprayed on to the snow for melting purposes. V

The water heating section 2 comprises a front wall 10 having a burner opening 11 therein through which a fuel burner 12 or" any standard type extends. A furnace tube 15 extends from the front wall 10 to a back wall 16;. The furnace tube 15 is generally circular in section as shown in FIG. 2 with an inclined wall 17 disposed at the rear end portion to reduce the cross sectional area of the tube a and to cause the products of combustion to pass through the opening in the rear wall 16 in a downwardly inclined direction. The heater section 2 includes a bottom wall 19 and side walls 2% and 21 forming a water jacket in which water is maintained at a levelat least above the top of the furnace tube 15 for heating by heat transfer from V the tube walls to the Water therearoundQ The upper portion of the walls it), 16, 2t and 2 1 form the snow melting section 1 in which the snow is received as from a loading conveyor 25. The gas-liquid contact section 3 is disposed adjacent to the rear wall 16 and is formed by wall 16 and by side and end Walls 26 and 2'7; The section 3 comprises trays 35) having perforations 31 surmounted by bafiles for the flow of gases upwardly through water layers 32 on the trays 30 and having water eliminator vanes 33 at the top and a water sump 34 at. the bottom. The section 3 may be of standard type such as that shown more in detail in Kopita Patent No. 2,457,686, and only so much thereof has been illustrated herein as is necessary to an understanding of this invention.

'eration of the apparatus.

3,166,966; Patented Jan. 19, i965 Water from the sump 34 of section 3 flows behind a ceramic Wall 41 into a tank 40'. The water level in the tank this such that the'hotgase's from the furnace tube 15 impinge on the water andon the sprays from nozzles- 63 as they pass into the section-3. The cooled gases pass from the .top of section 3 under a battle plate 42 to open- 7 of a center header 49. and side headers 54 joined by transversepipes 51; The headers 49 and 50 are provided with spray openings 52. from which hot water is discharged directly into the snow to assist in .heating and melting the same.,, The grid is mounted for limited tilting movement about the center header 49 so as to'be inclined in one direction or the other depending upon the side at which the loading conveyor happens to be located. Hinged side shields 54. are mounted on the side walls Ztl and 21 so that the shield on the side toward which the snow is being fed can be raised to intercept the snow and cause it to .be directed'through the donor hopper 1. p p A discharge pipe 58 receives thew ater from the melted snow from the heating section land discharges a selected portion of the water to waste through a branch pipe 59 and a valve 60. The remainder of the water is-fed from the pipe58 by a pump 51 through a pipe 64' into the top j 'of the section 3 for final direct-contact heating by the hot exhaust gases. Water is also led by a pipe62 to nozzles 63 which spray the water directly into the. gases emerging from the furnace tube'l5 to, quench the same before they are passed into the heating section.

Hot Water from the tank 4% is fed by a pipe 68 and pump 69 through a hot water pipe iii to thecenter header 49. Hot water is also fed from the pipe '79 to a pairof spray headers .71 disposed below the grid 43 andihaving spray openings 72} disposed to spray hot watendirectly on to any snow which passes. through the griddfi.

The snow which is introduced through the opening 43 is heated and meltedby contact with the hot water pipes of the grid 48 and by direct contact with the hot water sprays from the headers 49. 5t} and 71 and the water from the melted snow, flows into the Water jacket of the heating section 2. Some heat is extractedfrom the burner V gases by contact of the water with the furnace tube 15 cylindrical shield 74 is mounted around and-spaced from the furnace tube 15 as by rings 7d. This shield prevents rags or other refuse from the snow from contacting the surface of the furnace tubeand producing a hot" spot a which would cause burn-outs and interfere'with the op.-

v In order to. further assist in preventing the formation of steam bubbles around the furnace tube 15 a pair of headers 77 is disposed in the water jacket below the water level and connected to the hot Water'pipe 7%). These headers77 are provided with spray holes 78 through which Water is sprayed toward the top of the furnace tube from both sides to produce circulation of the water in the jacket and to prevent the ,hot

water from remaining around the tube and forming steam. A pipe 84 with a valve 85 is connected from the hot water pipe 76 to the bottom part of the -water jacket for flush;-

' ing out sediment.

The embodiment of PEG. 4 is similar to that above described except that the. expanded metal shield is omitted from the furnace'tube i5 and-a pair ofbafile plates 0pening 43 into themelting secheaders.

80 is disposed above the furnace tube. ing nozzles 83 is placed in the annular space between the shields 80 and the tube 15 to direct water downwardly around both sides of the furnace tube. The header 82 is connectedflto the hot water pipe 70 to receive Water there-= from. The water injected around the furnace tube in this manner produces 'a circulation which prevents forn1ation of steam bubbles around the tube. 1 1

In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the construction is generally similarwto that shown inFIGS; 1 to 3 and to avoid repetition, corresponding parts have been given similar reference numbers with the suffix 5a..-.The various parts are identical with those shown in FIG; lwith the exception of the gas-liquid contact section 3a. 'In' this embodiment, the section 3a is formed by walls 26a and 16:: which form a reservoir 99 in which liquid 90 is main- A header $2 hav- I tained at ajlevel somewhat below the level of the furnace Iv tube 15a. I 7

In this embodiment, the end of the furnace tube 15a registers with a duct 91 which is curved downwardly and extends into the liquid 90 with its open end 92 disposed -a substantial distance below the liquid leveland slightly above the bottom of the reservoir 99 so that the products 'of combustion which are discharged through the open end 92'of the duct 91 bubble upwardly through the liquid 90 in direct vapor liquid contactforheat transfer to the liquid.

An annular sleeve or shield 93 is disposed around but spaced from the duct-91 to thereby provide an annular passage therebetween. A manifold ring 94 is disposed near the upper end of this passage and below theliquid level and is provided with a ring'of holes 95 in its lower surface adapted-to project downwardly jets of water for inducing circulating around the duct 91 thereby preventing the formation of hot spots on the surface of the duct.

91 orlthe formation of steam bubbles. The manifold ring 94 is connected by a pipe 96 to the outlet side of a pump '97 having its intake side connected by a pipe 198 tojthe reservoir 99 so that water from the bottom ofthis reservoir is re-circulated through the ring 974 and thereby serves to produce a constant circulationof the water within the reservoir, The remaining pumps and connections for the circulation of the water from one section to another are similar [to those shown in connection with FIGJI.

'In the embodiments shown the water from the melted snow flows first into the heating section 2, thento' the gas-liquid contact sectioni3 and into the. hot wateritank 1 40 from which it flows to the heating pipes and .spray It is to be'understood; however, that the se quence can be changed if desired so that the water from the melted snow flows through the gas-liquid contact section for pre-heating before entering the heating section 2., Also the grid of hot water pipes may be omitted if the hot water spray is found to etfectthe melting at a sufliciently rapid rate. The amount of ,heat required depends upon the temperature of the snow and the rate of feed into the apparatus.

The above apparatus has been described as particularly adapted for melting snow'. It is to be understood however that'is also applicable for melting other materials, for example, ice or sulphur with suitable modifica:

tube through said gas-liquid contact section for cleaning 2. A melting apparatus comprising a tank containing cool liquid formed by the material melted, nozzles dis-- posed above the liquid level in said tank positioned to direct a spray-of hot liquid onto the material to be melted, a horizontal furnace tube disposed'in' and extending through said tank below the liquid level therein and having open inlet and discharge ends, a fuel burner firing into said furnacetube through said inlet end, a gasliquid direct contact section disposed'adjacent said tank and having a plurality of gas-liquid direct contact elements disposed above the discharge end of said furnace tube through which the combustiongases from said tube pass upwardly in contact with the liquid on said elements, a hot liquid receiver disposed below said gas-liquid direct contact section andadapted to receive the liquid from said section after the same has passed the'rethrough indirect contact with said gases, said receiver having a liquid level below the discharge end of said furnacetube whereby the hot gases from said tube are directed into contact with the liquid in said. receiver, means discharging a portion of the liquid from said tank and means supplying another portion of the liquid from said tank to said gas-liquid direct contact section for final heating therein prior to deliveryto said nozzles, and means sup- "plying hot liquid from said receiver to said nozzles.

3. A melting apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which means is provided to circulate liquid around said furnace tube to prevent the formation of hot spots around the tube. L

,4. A melting apparatus set forth in claim 2 in which a metal-screen is disposed around and spaced from said furnace tube. a I l 5. A melting apparatus as set fouthin claim 2 in which a liquid spray is directed onto the combustion products 7 for'quenching the same before they enter said gas-liquid contact section. v

6. A melting apparatus comprising a tank containing cool liquid formed by the material, sets of nozzles disposed above the liquid. level insaid tank positioned to direct a'spray of hot liquidonto the material to be melted, additionalsets of nozzles disposed in said tank below the liquid level and directed to eject hot'liquid for agitating the liquid in said tank, a horizontal furnace tube disposed in and extending through said tank belowthe liquid level therein and having open inlet and discharge ends, a fuel burner firing into said furnace tube through said inlet end, a gas-liquid direct contact section disposed adjacent said tank and having a plurality of liquid contact elements disposed above the discharge end of said furnace tube throughwhich the combustion gasesrfrom said tube pass upwardly in contact with the liquid on said tions to conform to the heat transfer requirements in each case. The eliminator vanes in thegas-liquid contact section prevent the discharge of the melted material along withthe exhaust gases and thereby avoid contaminating the air with undesirable vapors or odors.

- What is claimed is:

1. A melting apparatus comprising a material melting section, a liquid heating section vand'a gas-liquid contact section, a fuel burner in said liquid heating sect-ionadapted to produce products of combustion, a furnace tube in said liquid heating section carrying said products of combus- .tion, aliquid jacket surrounding said furnace tubed directing the products of combustion from said furnace elements, a hot liquid receiver disposed below said gas liquid direct contact section and-adapted to receive the liquid from said section afterfthe same has passed therethrough in direct contact withsaid gases, said receiver .having a liquid level below the discharge end'of said furnace tube whereby the hot gases from said tube are directed into contact with the surface of the liquid in said receiver, said section including .a refractory wall disj posed above the liquid level in said receiver in alignment with said tube and against which the hot gases from said i tube impinge before passing upwardly through'said contact elements, means discharging a portion of the liquid from said tank and means supplying another portion of the liquid from said tank to said gas-liquid direct contact section for final heating therein prior to delivery to said sets of nozzles, and means supplying hot liquid from said receiver to said sets of nozzles.

7. A melting apparatus as set forth in claim 6 including a nozzle for directing a spray of quench-liquid onto the gases at the exit end of said tube as they enter the gas-liquid direct contact section, and means supplying liquid from said tank to said last nozzle.

8. A melting apparatus as set forth in claim 6 having means disposed in said gas-liquid direct contact section and above the contact elements therein for stripping entrained liquid from said gases prior to discharge.

9. A melting apparatus as set forth in claim 6 including a metal screen disposed over at least the upper portion of said tube and spaced therefrom to prevent foreign objectsfrom contacting said tube.

10. A melting apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said refractory wall extends below the liquid level in said receiver to form a gas seal and the liquid from said section is directed to pass under said wall in its path to said receiver.

11. A melting apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said refractory wall defines a vertical passage in which liquid flows downwardly from said gas-liquid direct contact section and under said wall into said receiver.

12. A melting apparatus as set forth in claim 6 in which at least the upper Wall of said furnace tube slopes downwardly at said discharge end for discharging products of combustion in a downwardly inclined direction onto the surface of the liquid in said receiver.

References Cited the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 553,401 Von Garnier Jan; 21, 1896 1,821,292 Chase Sept. 1, 1931 1,841,245 Hagen Jan. 12, 1932 2,457,686 Kopita Dec. 28, 1948 2,677,368 Janecek May 4, 1954 2,841,136 Pettit et a1 July 1, 1958 2,875,749 Pettit et a1. Mar. 3, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 528,899 Great Britain Nov. "8, 1940 737,711 Germany July 21, 1943 &

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,166,066 January 19, 1965 John Dunn et al.

It is hereby certified that err or appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4, line 49, after "material" insert melted -Q Signed and sealed this 14th day of September 1965.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A MELTING APPARATUS COMPRISING A MATERIAL MELTING SECTION, A LIQUID HEATING SECTION AND A GAS-LIQUID CONTACT SECTION, A FUEL BURNER IN SAID LIQUID HEATING SECTION ADAPTED TO PRODUCE PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION, A FURNACE TUBE IN SAID LIQUID HEATING SECTION CARRYING SAID PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION, A LIQUID JACKET SURROUNDING SAID FURNACE TUBE, MEANS DIRECTING THE PRODUCTS OF COMBUSTION FROM SAID FURNACE TUBE THROUGH SAID GAS-LIQUID CONTACT SECTION FOR CLEANING AND HEAT TRANSFER, MEANS PASSING THE LIQUID FROM THE MELTED MATERIAL IN SAID MELTING SECTION INTO SAID LIQUID JACKET FOR HEATING, MEANS DISCHARGING A PORTION OF THE LIQUID FROM SAID JACKET, MEANS PASSING THE REMAINDER OF THE LIQUID FROM SAID JACKET THROUGH, SAID GAS-LIQUID CONTACT SECTION FOR FINAL HEATING, HOT LIQUID PIPES IN SAID MATERIAL MELTING SECTION, AND MEANS FEEDING HOT LIQUID FROM SAID GAS-LIQUID CONTACT SECTION TO SAID PIPES FOR HEAT TRANSFER TO THE MATERIAL THEREIN. 